Question: Here in Yemen, there are centres of knowledge that belong to the people of Sunnah. Whenever I try to go, I am not able to except by tricking my father [i.e. telling him I will go elsewhere etc.], and after this (when he finds out), he becomes angry at me. What is the ruling on these actions of mine?

Answer: [Your] attending the sittings of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jamāʿah and benefiting from them is considered to be from good actions, so your father does not have the right to prohibit you from them. Call your father with wisdom and forbearance so that he may accept it (i.e. attending the sittings of the scholars).

If he is upon other than the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah, then advise him and clarify to him with evidences that the way of Ahl al-Sunnah is the truth, and that it is the way the Prophet (ṣallal Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) and his companions (raḍī Allāhu ʿʿʿanhum) were upon, and that it is obligatory that we take it [as a methodology], stick to it, and abandon everything that opposes it [i.e. the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah]. Likewise, beware of falling short with regards to being dutiful to your father and showing him kindness, strive against your soul for this, and you will be rewarded in shāʾAllāh for being dutiful to your father and wanting good for both yourself and him.

Question: Praying [seated] on chairs has become prevalent in mosques, is it better to pray sitting on a chair or [sitting] on the ground considering the sujūd [prostration] and the other pillars of the prayer?

Answer: The foundation is that he (prays) sitting on the ground. Those who are not able to sit on the ground should sit on a chair, then if he is able to prostrate on the ground—meaning that he sits on a chair at the time of standing in prayer and then prostrates on the ground—it is compulsory that he does so. If he is not able to prostrate on the ground then he gestures the act of prostration with his head and neck [i.e. bowing his neck and head downwards while seated on the chair] and this will suffice him from the [full] prostration on the ground due to the verse of Allāh:

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْFear Allāh to the best of your capability.[Surah al-Taghābun, 64:16]

There are from amongst the small students of knowledge, who go and debate with the Rāfiḍah, the Jahmīyyah, and the Muʿtazilah concerning the divine decree, debating with them in these affairs. Do not subject yourself to doubts (for indeed they lead you to being) astray. However, the skillful scholar, who knows that he will be able to benefit with such debates, either aiding the Sunnah or subduing the people of falsehood, or even maybe Allāh will guide the one whom the scholar is debating. If he is seeking the truth, then the scholar is to clarify the issue to him.

As for you, the poor small student who is weak in knowledge, do not debate! I emphasise this point to the students of knowledge that you should not debate concerning the likes of these very serious innovations. As for the normal affairs that you know, and they are in the limits of your abilities, and you fully understand them, then there is no problem for you to discuss them, as long as the intention is not to debate and gain victory, but rather the goal is for clarification.1[1] Taken from: 'An Explanation of Imām Aḥmad's Foundations of the Sunnah' by Shaykh Rabīʿ ibn Hādī al-Madkhalī, pg.113-114

The noble Shaykh, Aḥmad al-Najmī (raḥimahullāh), explains the falsehood of the Khawārij and providing multiple proofs from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah, explaining that the only way to save oneself is by following the way of the Salaf. The lecture is coordinated by Ustādh Abū Khadījah and translated by the noble brother, Abū Ṭalḥah Dāwūd Burbank (raḥimahullāh).

Question: If a prisoner is in his cell and cannot find water or dirt whilst the time for prayer is about to expire, what should he do?

Answer: If he cannot find water or get someone to bring him water, and he cannot find dirt, he should pray as he is. [However, he should] look towards the wall or to the carpets to see if he can find dust, if he finds dust then it is permissible for him to strike it with [the palm of] his hands one time to wipe his face and hands, if he cannot find any of that then he prays in the condition that he is in.

This is specifically if the prayer is one that cannot be joined with another prayer [i.e. if it is a prayer like Ẓuhr he can delay it to join it with ʿAṣr to spare more time to find water, dirt, sand, soil, earth etc.]

Shaykh Rabī ibn Hādī al-Madkhalī gives beautiful and beneficial advice which all Muslims should adhere to: to fear Allāh, seek knowledge, be truthful and other advices which are essential in the life of the Muslim. This advice is translated by our beloved brother Abū Ṭalḥah Dawūd ibn Ronald Burbank (rahimahullāh), with a Q&A session at the end. The lecture took place at Masjid al-Salafī (Salafī Publications) in Birmingham, UK (2004).

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